Lavrov: Russia has some offers and is trying to use them actively for achieving ceasefire agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia

 Russia will be actively working towards political settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Foreign Minister of Russia Sergey Lavrov said during his meeting with President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev. 

"We have done everything possible at the level of president, prime minister, foreign and defense ministries to help the sides achieve a ceasefire arrangement. We will be ready to help them observe that ceasefire. It is important to calm down the situation at this specific moment. I hope the developments of the recent days will make the sides be more active in this issue. We will be actively working towards political settlement," the Russian minister said.

He stressed that Russia has some proposals and is going to use them actively to achieve an agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia in cooperation with the Minsk Group co-chairs. 

"We fully support the initiatives that the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs are making now. They traveled to Baku, tomorrow they will be on the Line of Contact and afterwards in Yerevan. We believe that with the help of the OSCE, ICRC and Red Crescent Movement we will manage to take certain confidence-building measures and create the necessary preconditions to resume the political dialogue. I anticipate productive talks in the course of this visit, " Lavrov said. 

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, in turn, said that the ceasefire arrangement was made also thank to Russia. Aliyev said that the ceasefire was observed, but on Wednesday the Armenian side allegedly violated the ceasefire. Nevertheless, he expressed readiness to  continue the talks.  "I received the OSCE MG co-chairs today and  told them that Azerbaijan is committed to peace," Aliyev said.